At the start of the new year, many parts of the southern state of Johor -the Malaysian state in the south of the Malay Peninsula- saw torrential downpour, leading to floods that displaced thousands of residents. The floods also hit many farms, destroying crops and impacting the livelihoods of many in the industry.
However, what has perplexed many farmers is how this period of intense and heavy rain has been followed by warmer weather in the last two to three weeks, with lower rainfall across the state.
In Johor, erratic weather between late December and early January has led to produce shortages at an inopportune time, amid rising demand for fruits and vegetables ahead of Chinese New Year next week. Examples include cucumber and bitter gourd.
